My favorite ad from this week was from the 1964 election between Lyndon B. Johnson and Barry Goldwater. The commercial that stuck out to me most showed a little girl eating an ice cream cone. While this little girl was eating her ice cream the narrator began talking about the science behind atomic bombs, highlighting Goldwater’s plans to continue research on the topic. I was shocked during my first watch-through that this was an actual commercial for a presidential election. Taking another look at the commercial I was able to see that the commercial appears to several different audiences. The main audience is parents and those with young children. The action of a child eating an ice cream cone is so innocent as their only care in the world is making sure they don’t get their hands sticky. If Goldwater is elected and funds more research into atomic bombs then there is the potential of war which could involve young children as they grow older. In comparison to modern-day campaigns, I am still shocked at this commercial. It really does not have any significance let alone convey a compelling message at first glance.
Critical Thinking
To juxtapose a little girl and research on atomic bombs is definitely a surprising campaign tactic. Your comment about how eating the ice cream cone and not getting sticky as her only care in the world speaks to the heart of the goal of the ad. If parents want their kids to remain this carefree, then they need Goldwater as president.
I think that sounds like a really interesting ad but it’s hard because a lot of these ads don’t actually represent anything…(?) A little girl eating ice cream barely represents someone being a good leader, but commercials like this work by triggering the unconscious part of lizard brains which is frustrating. I think we are more aware of this mow which is why I agree that we wouldn’t see this ad today, but it is something to think about.